The Observer • February 12, 2026 • https://cwuobserver.com/29032/news/wohlpart-faces-a- faculty-vote-of-no-confidence/ Wohlpart faces a faculty vote of no confidence
Parker Wood, Sports Editor
Around 200 Faculty Senate members and faculty gathered in the Mary Grupe Center and on Zoom on Feb. 4 to approve the holding of a vote of no confidence against President Jim Wohlpart after citing grievances with erosion of shared governance, transparency and trust. In a vote of 44 yays, two nays, and two abstentions, the Faculty Senate agreed to move forward with an
anonymous online faculty vote of no confidence through the next two weeks, the results of which will be shared with the university by Feb. 25 at the latest. The Faculty Senate is composed of 51 faculty members who help represent the different departments around CWU. Faculty have stated that even if the vote of no confidence passes, it does not end Wohlpart’s tenure as President. “The BOT could decide to terminate his employment based on the vote, but they are not obliged to,” Faculty Senator and Senior Lecturer in English Ruthi Erdman explained via email. “An alternate scenario is that a ‘no confidence’ vote could serve as a wake-up call, opening doors to negotiation and processes of true shared governance, with Wohlpart still as our president.” A Jan. 20 petition was signed by 49 faculty members who called on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (FSEC) to hold a Vote of No Confidence on Wohlpart. The petition alleged a series of actions from the president to consolidate power and a failure to elevate shared governance.
CWU Administration and the Board of Trustees, in a joint statement, told The Observer that they “acknowledge the concerns brought forth by the Faculty Senate.”
“We remain committed to working with our campus community through our established shared governance and administrative processes,” the statement continued. The email acknowledged the rejection of a potential delay in the vote and expressed belief that collaborating is still the path forward. “The Board [of Trustees] and the CWU administration believe disagreement and healthy discussion can lead to productive outcomes, and we would appreciate the continued engagement of faculty as we work toward our shared goal of supporting student success.” Shared governance, as described by the Office of the President, is “the system in which various groups participate in the decision-making processes at Central Washington University (CWU).” The shared governance document was originally approved in 1988 but the most recent version, overseen by Wohlpart, was approved on May 16, 2025, by the Board of Trustees (BOT) and outlines the authority, responsibilities, and commitments of all constituencies of the document, including the Faculty Senate, United Faculty of Central (UFC), and The Academic Department Chairs Organization (ADCO).
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